Soaking pit curb



May 8, 1956 L. J. HARTLE 2,744479 SOAKING PIT CURB Filed Aug. 25, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Lo us J #191745 United States Parent O SOAKING PIT CURB Louis J. Hartle, Pttsburgh, Pa., assignor to A msler Morton Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporaton of Pennsylvania Application August 25, 1954, Serial Nin/&52,107

8 Claims. (Cl. 110-181) This invention relates to the curbs that extend around the tops of ingot soaking pits.

An ingot heating or soaking pit generally is surrounded at its top by a curb formed from a row of refractory bricks or tles', the inner ends of which are exposed to the heat in the pit. The curb is provided with a channel or trough that receives sand which forms a seal around the lower edge of the soaking pit cover. Due to accidents, generally caused by a swinging ingot striking the inner part of the tles, the upwardly projecting inner ends of the curb tles are broken. The entire broken tile then must be replaced, which is a rather time-consuming and difiicult job because the tles' are held in place by fire clay or high temperature mortar. Also, when the broken tile is removed, sand flows into the gap left by it, and before this sand can be removed a considerable amount of it finds its way be tween the refractory wall of the pit and the outer steel plate that sheaths it, eventually causing the refractory wall to bulge inward.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a soaking pit curb which is' formed from tles that are made in pieces or blocks keyed together, whereby only the broken block need be replaced, which can be done quickly and easily. Another object is to provide such a curb in which dilerent parts can be made of dierent materials that are the best suited to the functions they have to perform.

In accordance with this invention, a soaking pit curb is formed from a plurality of refractory tles disposed side by side 'and having the usual central portions of reduced height to form a sand-receiving trough in the curb. Each tile is formed from inner and outer blocks that are held in substantially abutting relation by a vertical key. The tile is divided transversely through its reduced centrarl portion to form the two blocks, and the outer block includes at least a major part of the reduced central portion. The abutting portionsof the blocks are provided with registerng recesses that extend lengthwise of the tles into the blocks. One recess extends through the top of the outer block and the other recess extends through the bottom of the inner block. The inner ends of the recess are enlarged: The key is dispose'd in the recesses and has enlarged ends which register with the enlarged ends of the recesses to hold the two blocks together. If the inner block is broken, it is a relatively easy matter to remove the remaining fragment of that block from the key and replace it with a new nner block.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view and vertical section through an upper corner of a soaking pit;

Fig. 2 is' an enlarged side view of one of the tles from which the curb is formed;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2;

2,744,479 Patented May 8, 1956 Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal vertical section through the tile;

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged side view of the key;

Fig. 6 is a combined endview and section of the key, taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a top View of the key. i

Referrng to Fig. 1 of the drawings, an ngot heating or soaking pit is provided with the usual refractory side wall 1 enclosed by a steel'plate sheathing 2. Laid on top of the refractory wall is a curb 3, which extends around the pit and is formed from refractory tles that are laid with fire clay joints between them. The central portion of each tile is not much more than half as high as the end portions, so that the curb is provided in its top with a trough 4 that extends around the top V of the pit. This trough is filled with sand (not shown) that forms a seal for the lower edge of the removable pit cover to prevent hot gases' in the pit from escaping around the lower edge of the cover. When an ingot is deposited in or removed from the pit by the usual overhead crane, the craneman may miscalcul-ate the distance and allow the lower end of the ngot to strike the upwardly projecting inner end of one or more of the tles. This results in the projection being knocked off, whereby a replacement is required. It is to this replacement problem that this invention is directed primarly.

In acco'dance with this invention the curb is not formed from solid one-piece tles' as heretofore, but each tile is divided into two blocks 5 and 6 that normally are connected by means of a refractory interlocking member or key 7 (Fig. 3). To form the two blocks the tile is divided transversely through its reduced central portion in such a position that at least the major part, but preferably all, of the central portion forms an integral part of the outer block 6. The smaller inner block 5 substantially abuts against the reduced inner end of the outer block; that is, the two blocks are kept from engaging each other only by a thin layer of fire clay that forms a joint 8 between them. This joint prevents the transmission to the outer blocks of the high temperature to which the inner block is exposed.

The vertical key 7 that holds the two blocks of the tile together is mounted in`recesses 9 and 10 in the blocks,

V as shown in Figs'. 2, 3 and 4. These recesses extend lengthwise of the tile into the two blocks and have their outer ends regsterng with each other midway between the opposite sides of the tile. The recess 10 in the outer block extends through its top and also preferably through its bottom. The other recess extends through the bottom of the inner block, but its upper end is' covered by a portion of the block above the recess. The inner ends of the two recesses are enlarged by widening them, the enlarged portions preferably being curved transversely as shown in Fig. 3. Also, the recess in the inner block tapers upward and at least the major portion of the recess in the outer block tapers' downward.

The key that is inserted in the block recesses is tapered to fit them and has enlarged ends disposed in the wide ends of the recesses to hold the two blocks together. The key, which is shown in detail in Figs'. 5, 6 and 7, is formed in one piece and has the same shape on opposite sides of its central transverse vertical plane. However, the shape is such that one half of the key is bottom side up relative to 'the other half, so that, like the recesses, one half tapers upward and the other half tapers downward. For a purpose to be explained presently, the outer block may be recessed more deeply than the inner one, so that more than half of the key extends into the outer recess 10. To receive some of the upwardly tapered part of the key, the outer ends of the side walls of the outer recess are made parallel.

In setting a tile in place as part of the soaking pit curb, the outer block 6 is set in place and the inner end of the block and the wall of recess 10 are covered with a thin layer 11 of fire clay. Following this the key 7 is inserted in the recess and pushed down until its upper end is flush with the surrounding top of the block. A thin layer 12 of fire clay then is appled to the recess 9 in inner block 5, and that block is slipped down over the projecting end of the key. Any clay that squeezes out above the top of the key can escape through the fiaring space between the top of the key and the overlying portion of the block. Insertion of the key in the outer block and mounting of the inner block on the key are both made easy by the tapers of the key and associated block recesses. Fire clay is used in setting the tiles so as to fill the joints and yet not create a permanent bond between the tiles and blocks, thus making the inner blocks 5 and keys 7 easily replaced.

In case the inner end of a curb tile is struck by an ingot moving into or out of the soaking pit, the outer block 6 of the tile will not be damaged. The most that will happen is that the inner block 5 and the key 7 will be broken. However, it has been demonstrated that breakage of the key is very unlikely. In most cases the inner block will be broken away from the key, or only the upper part of that block will be knocked off. It is not difi'icult for a workman to dislodge any remaining part of the inner block, whereupon a new inner block can be slipped down over the key. When the outer block is recessed more deeply than the inner one, there is even less danger of the outer block being broken, because there is more material between the wide inner end of the outer recess 10 and the inner block. It not only is much quicker and easier to remove a broken inner block, and even a broken key, than an entire tile, but sincethe portion of the tile that forms the outer wall and bottom of the sand trough remains in place, there is little trouble with sand escaping from the trough or getting in the way during replacement of the broken parts of the tile. There is no danger at all of the sand filtering down between the refractory wall of the pit and the surrounding metal plates 2. The cost of an inner block replacement also is considerably less than the cost of an entire tile.

Another advantage of this invention is that the inner block 5 can be made of high temperature material, which will prevent fluxing action at high temperature, and the outer block can be made of a lower temperature refrac tory which has considerably more strength, because the inner block shields the outer block from the intense heat of the soaking pit. The connecting key and the intervening layers of fire clay help to insulate the outer block from the extremely hot inner block.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

l. A soaking pit curb formed from a plurality of refractory tiles disposed side by side and having central portions of less height than their ends to form a sandreceiving trough in the curb, each tile comprising substantially abutting inner and outer blocks connected by a vertical key, the tile being divided transversely through said central portion to form said blocks and the outer block including at least the major part of said central portion, the abutting portions of said blocks being provided with registering recesses extending lengthwise of the tile into the blocks and also through the top of the outer block and the bottom of the inner block and having enlarged inner ends, and said key being disposed in said recesses and having enlarged ends in the enlarged ends of the recesses to hold said blocks together.

2. A soaking pit curb according to claim 1, in which said recesses extend farther into the outer block than into the inner block.

3. A soaking pit curb according to claim l, in which the upper end of the recess in the inner block is substantially covered by a portion of the same block above it.

4. A soaking pit curb according to claim 1, in which the recess in the outer block tapers downward, the recess in the inner block tapers upward, and the major portion of the key in each recess tapers in the same direction as the recess.

5. A soaking pit curb according to claim 4, in which the halves of the key on opposite sides of its central transverse vertical plane have the same shape but one half is bottom side up relative to the other half.

6. A soaking pit curb formed from a plurality of refractory tiles disposed side by side and having central portions of less height than their ends to form a sandreceiving trough in the curb, each tile comprising substantially abutting inner and outer blocks connected by a vertical key, a fire clay joint between the blocks, the tile being divided transversely through said central portion to form said blocks and the outer block including all of said central portion, the abutting portions of said blocks being provided with registering recesses extending lengthwise of the tile into the blocks and also through the top of the outer block and the bottom of the inner block and having enlarged inner ends, the recess in the outer block tapering downward and the recess in the inner block tapering upward, said key being disposed in said recesses with the major portion of the key in each recess tapering in the same direction as the recess, and the key having enlarged ends registering with the enlarged ends of the recesses to hold the blocks together.

7. A soaking pit curb formed from a course of refractory tiles disposed side by side and having central portions of less height than their ends to form a sandreceiving trough in the curb, each tile having flat sides and a at bottom and comprising substantially abutting inner and outer blocks connected by a vertical key, the tile being divided transversely through its low central portion to form said blocks and the outer block including all of said central portion, the inner block being made of high temperature refractory material and the outer block being made of a lower temperature material having greater strength than the inner block, the abutting portions of said blocks being provided with central registering recesses extending lengthwise of the tile into the blocks and also through the bottom of the inner block and vertically through the outer block and having enlarged inner ends, the recess in the outer block tapering downward and the recess in the inner block tapering upward, said key being disposed in said recesses with the major portion of the key in each recess tapering in the same direction as the recess, and the key having enlarged ends registering with the enlarged ends of the recesses to hold the blocks together.

8. In a soaking pit, a refractory wall, rigid metal sheathing engaging the outer surface of the wall, and a curb mounted on top of the wall and formed from a plurality of refractory tiles disposed side by side and having central portions of less height than their ends to form a sand-receiving trough in the curb, each tile comprising substantially abutting inner and outer blocks connected by a vertical key, a fire clay joint between the blocks, the tile being divided transversely through its low central portion to form said blocks and the outer block including substantially all of said central portion, the inner block being made of high temperature refractory material and the outer block being made of a lower temperature material having greater strength than the inner block, the abutting portions of said blocks being provided with registering recesses extending lengthwise of the tile References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Vortriede June 5, 1900 Lptak May 28, 1935 Morton July 26, 1938 Roe Jan. 8, 1946 

